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What to Watch on NBC Thanksgiving Day 2024
From the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to the National Dog Show, the entertainment lineup will be just as full as your plate.
Thanksgiving means good food, good times with family, and of course, good TV on NBC.
Below, read all the fun specials you can watch on NBC on Thanksgiving Day 2024:
2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The 98th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade begins at 8:30 a.m. ET and wraps around noon and will feature performances from Broadway's best and brightest in addition to pop stars, celebrities, dancers and marching bands. And, of course, the balloons. Fan favorites over the years have included Snoopy, Grogu (Baby Yoda), and Stu the Minion.
This year, six new featured balloons will make their debut, including:
- Minnie Mouse
- Extraordinary Noorah & The Elf on the Shelf
- Gabby from Gabby's Dollhouse
- Goku from Dragon Ball
- Marshall from PAW Patrol
- Spider-Man
Hopefully some of them will get a repeat!
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The National Dog Show Presented by Purina
The National Dog Show airs on NBC directly following the conclusion of the parade and has proven to be popular year after year. Co-host David Frei told NBC Insider the show remains a hit because of its sweet mass appeal. "You've got the family gathered, and you're going to have some people who want to watch football. You'll have others who want to watch something else," Frei said. "But the dog show works for everybody, whether it's a 3-year-old or their great grandmother."
"When a dog walks into the room, the energy changes," Frei continued. "Even when they're onscreen in your living room as you're waiting for the turkey, it makes people laugh and smile."
Thanksgiving football
At 8:20 p.m. ET he Miami Dolphins will face off against the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Tune in to NBC for minute-by-minute analysis of the exciting game.
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Why NFL football is a Thanksgiving tradition
In 1934, the Detroit Lions began hosting an annual Thanksgiving game as a way to capitalize on the link between the holiday and their sport, according to CNN. In 1966, the fledgling Dallas Cowboys started their own Thanksgiving game to try to get more eyeballs on their franchise. By the 2000s, the NFL agreed to add a third Thanksgiving Day game, featuring different host teams each year, to let other teams get a piece of the action.
“Football is the sport around which communities revolve,” historian Matthew Andrews told CNN. “This holiday in which we’re celebrating community, I think it makes sense that football would seamlessly fit into that culture.”
